Caliente Quilts

I love Priscilla Bianchi's use of color and ethnic fabrics. I have always loved the colors of Guatemala fabrics. She includes an interesting look at her family and background a peek into her studio and a galeria at the back of the book of all her quilts. She even includes a resource section where you can find exotic fabrics. She does offer nine different projects for the reader.
She has an interesting technique for making her labels. She prints her labels on an inkjet printer and makes them 81/2"x5". She writes as much information about the quilt design, inspiration and general information as possible. She can print two labels at a time on one sheet. She also uses a Jacquard product of a sheet of silk fused to freezer paper. She says that silk gives the best resolution, even with small lettering. To give the label a more tailored look she lines it with soft muslin.

Blended Quilt Backgrounds

I've been catching up on some recent additions to my quilting book library. This book, Blended Quilt Backgrounds arrived before my vacation so I didn't have time to really study it. Written by Jean Biddick and published by the American Quilter's Society it offers 10 different quilt projects. At first I didn't think they were particularly interesting until I realized that I just didn't like the color selection they had used. I think one of the other reasons I had selected this book was because it said Create Secondary patterns under the title. I just didn't really see the secondary patterns in the projects that were selected.
I will hang on to the book until my Internet buddies arrive for Quilt Camp. If it speaks to one of them it can go home with them, otherwise, I'll probably donate this one to my local library.
It just didn't knock my socks off, folks.

Artists' Cafe'

This is another one of Somerset Studio Best magazines. This one if the best of Studio Art & Design.
There is a great article on the art of lettering. While looking through the six different articles on this subject I came across someone talking about seeing a familiar handwriting on an envelope and getting excited about it. We seldom see that anymore. I used to love to collect beautiful stationary, notepaper etc. for writing notes to people. Then it became rather one sided and I stopped doing it.
I was sorting some old paper work from my grandparents and came across a handwritten letter from my great grandfather to my mother. There was just something about seeing the handwriting that, for some reason, made me feel closer to him. He didn't have a lot of schooling.
I think he dropped out of school when he was 14 or 15 and started working for the railroad. His letter was carefully written in pencil.
There are lots of articles and eye candy of artwork from artists like Angela Cartwright, Michelle Ward, Nina Bagley and Anne Bagby.
Take some time out from your busy day, stop in at a bookstore and take a look at this magazine. It might be just the thing you need to inspire you for the new year or maybe it will make a great gift for someone you know.

Keepsake Quilting Block Buster

Well, I discovered why they probably keep the Fons and Porter magazine sealed in plastic. There was an pamphlet in mine from Keepsake Quilting. It looks like 28 traditional block designs for making 6", 9" and 12" blocks.
If you don't have a basic quilting book with traditional blocks this might come in helpful.
There is the Sawtooth Star, Churn Dash and many more favorites.

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

I really, really dislike magazines encased in plastic, on the bookstore shelves. I can understand if you are having it delivered but in the bookstore I want to look at it. So, I had to bring this one home with me. There is an interesting article on making a fabric clock. I actually bought a big ugly old clock, on sale, at Target, last year. I was going to art up the face of it. I still may do that but I'm liking the idea of doing a quilted wall clock. It might be fun to combine photo fabric pictures of the grandkids into the quilting. Something to think about. It's only 12"x12" so that's very doable. Might make a nice gift too for somebody. Certainly different.
There is also a nice article on making scrapbook covers. You can certainly adapt that for journal covers, book covers, etc. I know I love the quilted paperback book cover that somebody gave me years ago. When I travel I don't particularly want people knowing what I am reading.
Of course, somebody in publishing decided to change the size of paperbacks and now some of the newer ones are too big for my cover. Also to big for my bookshelf.

American Quilter Techniques/Ideas/Lifestyle

If you haven't seen the latest, January 2008, copy of this magazine it's time for you to take yourself to your big bookstore, pick up a copy, order a nice cuppa and just give it a look. It's the official magazine of the American Quilter's Society. Lots of interesting articles in this edition.
There is an interesting little article in it that would make a really neat gift for a fellow quilter.
It's called Mousepad Makeover. I seldom use a mousepad at home but when I travel I keep one in my case with my laptop.

Here's the directions from the Reader Quilt Tip section, from Rachel Wetzler of St. Charles, IL.
1. Select a quilting-weight fabric that is dark enough to cover the mousepad without any show through of the original design.Batiks or other finely woven fabrics work well. Cut the fabric about an inch larger all around than your mousepad.
2. Cut a piece of fusible web, like Wonderunder, slightly smaller than the fabric and fuse the web to the wrong side of the fabric, following fusible product instructions.
3. Remove the paper backing from the fused fabric and position the fabric on top of the mousepad. Press, following the fusible product instructions.
4. To enhance the glide of the mouse roller ball on your mousepad, apply a coat of spray starch to the top of the pad. Press, moving the iron lightly across the fabric until the starch is completely absorbed and dry.
5. Working from the backside of the pad for best visibility, trim the excess fabric with sharp scissors. Place the scissor blades parallel to the edge of the pad, using the thickness of the pad as a cutting guide.

More interesting books that have arrived!

Well, I fell in love with this one, THE PAINTED QUILT by Linda and Laura Kemshall. It's the book that got me thinking about doing the first in my Storyteller series. They do some really interesting painting on quilted fabric. I may actually use this as a technique lesson book and work on a number of different projects.
I know there are some wonderful teachers and classes out there that I could attend. It's the thought of paying for something that I probably already have a book about, packing, driving, flying, lodging, etc. that puts me off. I enjoy working in my own surroundings and making my own mistakes.

Another wonderful book is ALTERED PHOTO ARTISTRY by Beth Wheeler and Lori Marquette.I am a novice at photo editing. I would like to learn more and it looks like this is the perfect book to walk me through some basic lessons. The book includes a CD in the back of the book called OEM 3817 PS ELEMENTS Trial which is apparently something to do with Adobe Systems. Since I haven't loaded it in my computer I can't really say anything about it.

The book and CD come from C & T Publishing.

And, yet another book, FABRIC ETCHING by Iris Lee has arrived in my mailbox. This is about another technique that fascinates me, fiber etching. Fiber etch is a fabric remover, gel, which creates decorative effects by removing fabric or fibers within a painted or embroidered area.
I'm not quite sure if I can purchase this product in my local craft store but it can be bought, online at www.silkpaint.com.

And, last but not least is the UNIQUELY FELT book by Christine White. Here's another book to help me work with another technique, felting. I have a felting machine. sigh I got it at a close out sale. It was the demo model and I got a really good deal on it. Sadly, to say I haven't had the time to work with it. I'm thinking that those cold winter months of February and March are a good time to experiment with this book and my machine.